Common Triggers of Psoriasis and How to Avoid Them

Psoriasis is a common skin condition with uncomfortable side effects. Several factors can trigger a psoriasis outbreak. Knowing about psoriasis triggers is essential to avoid them. Your dermatologist can tell you more.

Drs. Rhonda Baldone, Rachel Reina, and Stratton Grisoli at Baldone-Reina Dermatology in Covington, LA, provide a full range of dermatology services, including diagnosis, treatment, and management of psoriasis. They proudly serve residents of Covington, Mandeville, the Northshore, New Orleans, and surrounding areas.

What You Need To Know About Psoriasis

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes your body to produce excess skin cells too quickly. The excess skin cells develop into dry, scaly, itchy patches that can appear on your scalp, elbows, behind your knees, and other parts of your body. They can itch, sometimes severely. Their appearance can also make you self-conscious about exposing your skin.

There are a few factors which can trigger a psoriasis outbreak, including:

• Stress
• An illness
• Experiencing a skin injury
• Excessive exposure to sun
• Excessive exposure to cold or dry weather
• Drinking alcohol or smoking
• Hormonal fluctuations

To help control psoriasis outbreaks, it’s important to:

• Practice stress management techniques, including exercise, yoga, meditation, and walking
• Always wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least 50 when you are outside
• Apply moisturizer daily to keep your skin hydrated
• Cover your skin when you are exposed to wind and cold weather
• Quit smoking and avoid excessive alcohol consumption

Your dermatologist can help, too, by providing treatment based on the severity of your symptoms. If you have:

Mild psoriasis affecting less than 3% of your body, your dermatologist may recommend prescription moisturizing creams, shampoos, or bath treatments, topical steroid treatments to reduce itching and slow down skin cell growth, and light therapy using natural sunlight, lasers, or phototherapy to eliminate psoriasis patches

Moderate psoriasis, affecting 3% to 10% of your body, or severe psoriasis, affecting over 10% of your body, your dermatologist may recommend prescription oral medications, including cyclosporine and methotrexate to lower skin cell production and reduce inflammation, biological drugs to suppress the immune system and reduce psoriasis breakouts, and light therapy using natural sunlight, lasers, or phototherapy to eliminate psoriasis patches.

Want To Know More About Psoriasis?

Talk with the experts to discover more about psoriasis triggers and how to avoid them. Call Drs. Rhonda Baldone, Rachel Reina, and Stratton Grisoli at Baldone-Reina Dermatology in Covington, LA. They serve residents of Covington, Mandeville, the Northshore, New Orleans, and surrounding areas. You can reach them in the office by calling (985) 892-3376, so call today.